This invention relates generally as indicated to a tire building machine and more particularly to a second-stage tire building machine wherein the generally cylindrical first stage tire carcass is inflated and shaped to a specified toroidal shape for application of tire components thereto such as a belt and tread assembly.
Although second stage direct inflation shaping machines have heretofore been employed, such machines are usually rather complex and do not have the ability to shape a wide variety of tire sizes. For example, if tires with different bead diameters or shapes are to be employed on the machine, the bead-engaging flanges must be replaced by bead-engaging flanges of a different shape or diameter. This is not easily accomplished on tire shaping machines resulting in substantial down-time for conversion from one tire to another. Moreover, many such machines may not have sufficient maximum shoulder set and accordingly for larger tires, different machines must be employed.
In contrast, the present machine permits substantially all passenger size tires or carcasses to be shaped and completed. The machine of the present invention will handle tires with bead diameters as small as 10 inches (254.0 mm) and as large as 16.5 inches (419.0 mm) in bead diameter. The maximum shoulder set is approximately 22 inches (558.8 mm). The machine may therefore accommodate tire sizes ranging from some motorbike tires to light truck or large balloon tires for dune buggies, for example. The versatility of the machine is in part accomplished by its ability to accommodate flanges of different diameters quickly requiring very little down-time for conversion.
In addition to such versatility, the machine shaft and sleeve arrangement supporting the bead engaging flanges requires no outboard support with minimum of deflection or run-out, thus permitting tires to be built thereon to a high degree of accuracy. Moreover, the simplicity of the machine reduces its cost and the clean cantilever arrangement of the shaft, sleeves, and drives for such sleeves permits ease of maintenance and optimum space usage, the latter permitting the machine to be used in conjunction with a wide variety of auxiliary equipment such as transfers, servicers, and stitchers to provide a highly efficient tire building system.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a second stage tire building machine which can readily accommodate substantially all passenger size tires.
Another principal object is the provision of such machine wherein the bead engaging flanges are mounted on a cantilevered shaft, which includes no external transmissions or other mechanisms which would interfere with equipment used in conjunction therewith.
Still another important object is the provision of a highly simplified second stage tire building machine in which unacceptable deflection and run-out are avoided in spite of the significant cantilever of the shaft.
Another object is the provision of a second stage tire building machine wherein the flanges on the cantilevered shaft are driven for axial movement by a drive screw inside the shaft, the drive connections thereto being entirely on the cantilevered portion of the shaft.
A further object is the provision of a support for the distal flange on the shaft which includes a clearance accommodating the sleeve supporting the proximal flange.
Yet another object is the provision of such tire building machine wherein the distal and proximal flanges are supported on elongated sliding sleeves with the sleeve for the distal flange being supported on the shaft at its proximal end only for telescoping on and beyond the distal end of the shaft.
Another object is the provision of such machine wherein the distal flange is secured to its supporting sleeve by a readily removable nose piece not only supporting the distal flange axially offset from the distal end of its sleeve, but providing a pilot guide for assisting the operator in placing the first stage tire on the machine.
A still further object is the provision of such machine utilizing bead engaging flanges machined from plastic material, such flanges including pilot surfaces which assist in centering the first stage tire beads with respect thereto.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.